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Andrew Jones diagnosed with leukemia

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Texas combo guard Andrew Jones dribbles the ball during Texas’ match against Oklahoma on Jan. 23. The Long- horns fell in the rematch, but Jones posted 12 points and five rebounds of his own in the 70-66 defeat.

Sophomore guard Andrew Jones has been diagnosed with leukemia, Texas announced Wednesday morning.

“After undergoing a number of tests and evaluations over the past week, Andrew has been diagnosed with leukemia,” Jones’ family said in a statement. “He has begun treatments, and we hope everyone will keep him in your thoughts and prayers. This is obviously a difficult situation for our family, and we hope everyone will respect our privacy at this time.”

Jones did not travel with the team in Texas’ most recent game on Saturday in Waco against Baylor. Head coach Shaka Smart declined to comment after the game on the specific reason for Jones’ absence but said that Jones wasn’t feeling well. Smart spoke to the media on Tuesday and said Jones would not play Wednesday night against TCU.

“Speaking for our entire team and staff, we love Andrew and will do everything we can to support his family and help him get back to health,” Smart said in a statement Wednesday. “I want to thank everyone for being respectful of the privacy that the Jones family needs at this time.”

Jones missed additional time earlier in the season due to a fractured wrist. After sitting out four consecutive games, he briefly returned for a two-game stint against Kansas and Iowa State, seeing limited minutes in both outings. The 20-year-old NBA Draft hopeful ranked second on the Longhorns in points per game (13.5) and first on the team in 3-point percentage this season.

“We know Andrew’s a fighter with a strong family and our thoughts, prayers and support are fully behind them,” UT athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement. “At the University of Texas, we will do everything in our power to provide all of the resources we can to assist Andrew and his family.”